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The Matterhorn, the symbol of Switzerland, rises carefree over the Valais. At his feet, however, Corona has taken over the scepter.
In Switzerland, the canton has the highest number of infections in terms of population: 679 positive test results on Friday alone. On Wednesday, the Council of State tightened the crown measures.
In Zermatt VS it’s off season right now. Pedestrians stroll through the streets, typical Zermatt electric taxis whiz past the Julen Hotel. Its owner, Paul-Marc Julen (39), gives food for thought due to the epidemiological situation in the canton: “The second wave arrived with much more intensity and speed than we expected,” says the hotelier, who runs three restaurants in Zermatt with his family. . The growing number of cases, Julen says, unsettled his guests. But so far only a few cancellations have come. “This weekend we have an occupancy rate of almost 100 percent,” said the hotelier, thanks to very short-term bookings from Swiss guests.
“The Council of State made the right decision by tightening the measures,” says Julen. They are tough and strict, but they increase the chances of “controlling the second wave and saving the start of the winter season.”
Great dependence on tourism
According to Damian Constantin (53), Director of Promotion of Wallis, this is fundamental for the economy of the entire canton. Every fifth job is directly or indirectly dependent on the tourism industry.
Similar sounds come from Graubünden. Here too tourism is an important source of income. Although the canton has fewer infections than Valais, Martin Vincenz (57), CEO of Graubünden Ferien, is concerned: “The last few weeks have shown how quickly the situation can change in a region. He can hit anyone at any time! “
Most hotels expect a decrease in overnight stays this coming winter. The first cancellations have already been received, especially from abroad: on Thursday, the whole of Switzerland in Germany was declared a risk zone. With the quarantine requirement, the second largest market, alongside guests from their own country, is no longer available. “We don’t expect Swiss tourists to be able to compensate foreign guests,” says Vincenz. “And with each additional restriction, the prognosis worsens.”
So is the winter season on the brink?
Jürg Stettler (55) heads the Institute for Tourism Economics at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. He still does not want to throw the ski poles to the point: “The situation is more precarious than a few weeks ago, but nothing has been lost yet.” However, the current situation could have a negative impact on the winter season. “Because the increase in the number of cases changes the behavior of the reserves. Now it’s being booked even less in advance. “That means: Weather and snow conditions will play an even bigger role in winter than before.
After all, the Swiss should once again spend the white season in their own country, like summer. And that’s what ski areas are betting on, as a SonntagsBlick survey of twelve of the largest ski areas shows. Tourists are concerned about the high number of cases, but have not lost their optimism. Without exception, ski areas want to get through the winter season. Some have already increased safety precautions: in Valais, for example, a mask is required when queuing for ski lifts.
Hope of stabilization
Ski areas are based on the fact that the number of cases at home and abroad will stabilize again in eight weeks before the start of the main season.
But is that even realistic? According to Manuel Battegay, it is too early to make a forecast. Ultimately, it is partly up to the Swiss whether they can spend their holidays in the Swiss mountains; much depends on how close they stick to measures to contain the pandemic. The infectologist at the Basel University Hospital: “We have to act immediately and see in the next four to six weeks how well they work and are implemented by society as a whole,” says Battegay.
Avoid confinement
Ski areas, industry associations and tourism experts agree: a lockdown like in spring should be avoided. Only a so-called “circuit breaker”, a brief two-week lockdown, does not meet with the rejection of all actors, provided it takes place in November. Many seasonal operations and mountain railways are still closed. Berno Stoffel, director of Seilbahnen Schweiz, says: “If this could save the rest of the winter season, it would be a small price to pay.”
However, a second lockout at any other time would be devastating, especially during the holidays or in February.
All previous investments in the cold season were lost. And many companies probably would not survive this financially.
Although the start of the winter season seems still far away, today a race against time begins.
